This open cube terrarium makes a chic home for desert plants like cacti and aloes, which are happiest in a dry location.

Topped with a mulch of pale grit and chunky pebbles, the effect is that of a landscape in miniature. Don’t be afraid to play with the top dressing if you want. You could use horticultural sand, or even pecking grit for birds – the grain size is somewhere between gravel and sand – which will add a more naturalistic feel.

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